Binding device



C. E. EMMER BINDING DEVICE Feb. 6, 1940.

Original Filed Sept. 25, 1935 zvwerzfa/r CHHHLES Lily/YER By Ram-.1 Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STAT-ES BINDING DEVICE Charles E. Emmet, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Circla, Inc., Chicago, linois IlL, a corporation of Il- Or lginal N0. 2,123,625, dated July 12, 1938, Serial No. 41,679, September 23, 1935. Application for reissue November 8, 1939; Serial No. 303,371

11 Claims.

of material, having a plurality of arms of ringform which are integral with a longitudinal strip to which the free ends of the arms are attached after the latter have been passed through perforations in the sheets, pamphlets-or the like,

to be bound.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a binding device comprising a backbone having a ,plura.lity of fingers extending I therefrom and of generally ring shape wherein the backbone is disposed to lie in a non-radial plane of the circular cylinder defined; by the fingers.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating ex- 25 emplary embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the improved binding device.

Figure 2 is a perspective viewillustratinga different mode of securing the binding device 30 in closed relation.

Figure 3 is a further modification of the invention.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the structure of Figure 3 shown in closed position. 35 Figure 5 is a perspective view of an additional form of binder. 1

Figure 6 is a sectional view through a number of sheets bound by the device shown in Figure 5. Figure '7 is a perspective view of a further 0 modification.

Figure 8 is a transverse section of sheets and covers bound by the device shown in Figure I.

Figure 9 is a partial development of the binder. In Figures 1 to 6 inclusive the device comprises a longitudinal strip of backbone Hi from a lateral edge of which extend a plurality of parallel arms II which preferably are given the ring shape shown in Figure 3, prior to the inserbeen passed through the perforations in the sheets to be-bound, the ends Ila, which are directed outwardly of the circle defined by the arms, are pressed into contact with and secured, to the strip III to form preferably a permanent binding for the sheets.

In Figure 1 the strip III is shown as being of a width greater than the length of the plane ends lla of the arms. After insertion of the arms through the perforated sheets the plane ends I la of the arms II are pressed into contact with the strip l0 and the outer margin Illa of the latter is then folded over the ends lla to secure the arms in closed position. In Figure 2 the corresponding parts are identifled by the same reference characters employed in Figure 1, the major difference between the two forms residing in the fact that in the form shown in Figure 2 the plane ends lla. are of a length greater than the width of the strip l0 and the outer portions of the former are folded over the edge of thellatter to hold the binder in closed position after the sheets to be bound have been assembled in the binder.

Any suitable tool or machine may be employed for .bending the margin Illa of the strip over the ends -I la. of the arms, as shown in Figure 1, or in folding the ends Ila of the strip Ill as shown in Figure 2.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 3 the ends I la of the arms II are provided with perforations l5 and the strip l0- has integral lugs l6 struck upwardly therefrom. The lugs are adapted to pass through the respective perforations l5 when the sheets to be bound have been assembled on the arms and the latter pressed into contact with the strip. The lugs ll are then bent over into contact with the upper surface of the ends I la to retain the latter in close contact with the strip lll as illustrated in Figure 4, In Figures 5 and 6 the strip lliis provided with perforations of slots l1, and the ends of the arms have short, outwardly directed portions llb which terminate in portions llc which are disposed substantially at right angles to the portions b as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. When the sheets have been assembled on the arms, the ends llc are passed through the slots l1 and bent over into contact with the lower face of the strip III to retain the binder rings in closed position, as illustrated in full lines in Figure 5 and in Figure 6. The end portions her as the lugs I6 of the modification shown in Figures 3 and 4. In all the forms of the invention above. described the ends of the arms are held in close contact with the face of the strip and thus reduce the likelihood of the perforated edges of the bound sheets, when open, passing between the contacting surfaces of the arm ends and the strip and being torn when the sheets are turned to or from closed or book-like form illustrated in Figure 6. v

In Figures 7 and 8 the binder is also formed of a single piece of material which in this instance should be resilient, the binder compris be compressed into and released from engagement with the retaining edge 2|. This type of binding device can thus be used for temporarily binding sheets or the like if desired. The strip I8 preferably is convex, as shown at its rear surface and provides space for affixing title, volume and library or other indicia, if desired.

In the forms of the invention above described, the strips Ill and the ends of the arms engaging the same are disposed preferably between one cover of the book and the bound sheets although these portions of the binding may be disposed in the middle of the book between the sheets or positioned at the rear edge of the bound sheets, if desired. However, a neater binding is provided and the covers can be opened back to back by disposing the strip and arm ends beneath one cover, and the. assembly of the sheets upon the binder arms is also facilitated. For.

this reason the strips III and the engaging ends I In. of the arms I I when in contact with a cover preferably lie in a plane parallel with the covers. The strip and interlocked ends of the arms therefore preferably lie in a non-radial plane of the circle or cylinder defined by the arms. Where the strip and arm ends are to lie midway of the bound sheets or are to extend rearwardly from the bound edges of the sheets they are disposed in a. radial plane of the circle defined. by the arms.

The arms and strips of the above describeddevices can be formed of relatively thin material such as sheet metal. In order that the ringshaped. arms when formed of thin material shall be sufliciently rigid to retain their shape and that rough edges shall be avoided, it is preferred to form the arm blanks with side flanges [id as illustrated in Figure 9. After the blank has been formed and prior to shaping the arms in curved or arcuate form. the flanges (Z are folded inwardly of the arms as shown at the right. end of the figure to increase the rigidity or stiffness of the arm when the latter has been given the ring form. This double thickness of the metal thus increases the ability of the arms edges of the arms are also more easily threaded through the perforations of the sheets in 'assembling the latter and facilitate turning the bound sheets during use.

The various forms of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 inclusive preferably will be provided with arms formed as above described. It will be noted that the flanges IId terminate short of the free ends of the arms so as to avoid increasing the thickness of the material at the points where the arms are attached to the respective integral strips or back members.

While I have shown and described several means for attaching the ends of the arms to the strip which render the binding'device economical and convenient both as to manufacture and use, I 'do not wish to'be restricted specifically thereto except as so limited by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A book of perforated sheets having a binding comprising a strip of sheet metal having arms extending from one longitudinal edge portion thereof and of ring-like form extending through the perforations of the sheets, one end i of each arm being integral with said longitudinal edge and the other ends of the arms being directed outwardly from the respective ring-like portions and contacting a. surface of said strip, said strip being of a width greater than the length of said outwardly directed ends and having the other longitudinal edge portion thereof folded over into close contact with said ends to secure the ends between said portions of the like portions and contacting a surface of said strip, said strip being of a width greater than the length of said -outwardly directed ends and having the other longitudinal edge portion thereof I folded over into close contact with said ends to secure the ends between said portions of the strip to retain the rings in fully closed relation with the ends of thecurved portion of each arm in substantially abutting relation, each said arm having integral flanges on the longitudinal edges theroef folded over a face of the arm to stiifen the same and to provide smooth edges substantially coextensive with the curved portion of the arm.

3. A book of perforated sheets having a binding comprising a strip of sheet metal havin arms extending from one longitudinal edge portion thereof and of loop-like form extending through the perforations of the sheets, one end of each arm being integral with said longitudinal edge and the other ends of the arms being dilength of said outwardly directed ends and having the other longitudinal edge portion thereof folded over into close contact with said ends to secure the ends between said portions of the strip to retain the loops in fully closed relation.

4. A book of perforated sheets having a binding comprising a strip of sheet metal having arms extending from one longitudinal edge portion thereof and of loop-like form extending through the perforations of the sheets, one end of each arm being integral with said longitudinal edge and the other ends of the arms being directed outwardly from the respective loop-like portions and contacting a surface of said strip, said strip being of a. width greater than the length of said outwardly directed ends and having the other longitudinal edge'portion thereof folded over into close contact with said ends to secure the ends between said portions of the strip to retain the loops in fully closed relation with the ends of the curved portion of each arm in substantially abutting relation, each of said arms having integral flanges on the longitudinal edges thereof folded over a face of the arm to stiffen the same and to provide smooth edges substantially coextensive with the curved portion of the arm.

5. A bookof perforated sheets having a binding comprising a backbone having a plurality of fingers extending therefrom, said fingers being generally ring-shaped and formed to extend through the perforations of said sheets, and said backbonebeing disposed to lie outside of any radial plane of said ring-shaped fingers.

6. A book of perforated sheets having a binding comprising a backbone having a plurality of fingers extending therefrom, said fingers being generally ring-shaped and formed to extend through the perforations of said sheet-s, and said backbone lying in a plane cutting eccentrically the rings defined by said fingers.

7. A book of perforated sheets having a binding comprising a backbone having a plurality of fingers extending therefrom, said fingers being generally ring-shaped and formed'to extend through the perforations of said sheets -and said backbone being disposed at an oblique angle to the ringshaped fingers at the junction of said fingers with said backbone.-

8. A binding device comprising a thin fiat longitudinally extending strip, a plurality of thin fingers integral with and projecting from one edge of said strip, each of said fingers being closed to form a ring lying in a plane perpendicular to said strip, said strip being disposed to lie in a plane cutting eccentrically across said rings, the angle between said strip and the ends of said fingers integral therewith being an acute angle.

9. A binding device comprising a thin fiat longitudinally extending strip, a plurality of thin fingers integral with and projecting from one edge of said strip, each of said fingers being closed to form a ring lying in a plane perpendicular to said strip, said strip lying on the outside of said rings in a plane cutting eccentrically across said rings, the angle between said strip and the ends of said fingers integral therewith being an acuteangle.

10. A binding device comprising a comb-shaped member having a backbone and a plurality of integral fingers extending therefrom, said fingers being shaped to provide a plurality of rings lying in parallel planesperpendicular to said backbone, said backbone lying in an oblique plane to the tangential plane of the rings at their junction line with said backbone.

11. A book of perforated sheets having a binding comprising a strip of sheet metal having arms extending from one longitudinal edge portion thereof and of ring-like form extending through the perforations of the sheets, one end of each am being integral with said longitudinal edge and the other ends of the arms being directed outwardly from the respective.ring-like portions and contacting a surface of said strip, said strip being of a width greater than the length of said outwardly directed ends and having the other longitudinal edge portion thereof folded over into close contact with said ends to secure the ends between said portions of the strip to retain the rings in fully closed relation, said strip being disposed at an oblique angle to-the ringlike portions at the junction of the ring-like portions with said strip. 

